I also want to chime in with a little Chinese Medicine Perspective. When our digestion is out of balance, it is tempting to blame one or two things. Maybe we blame foods, or maybe what we think of as SIBO, or Candida. But the microbiome is so very complex, as is the immune system, and the reasons why our bodies are crying out with these symptoms, likely is a result of years of assult. If we have SIBO and some of the symptoms that come with it, in Chinese Medicine they ask why? What are the underlying conditions that allowed the SIBO to take hold?? Norm addresses some of it in his book, such as low gut motility. The question then becomes WHY do I have low gut motility? A SIBO infection points to the fact that many of the organ systems that govern digestion may not be optimal. The questions get deeper and deeper and the answers more ellusive!

I can list a few lifestyle/ behaviour factors that could set one up for bacterial and/or fungal overgrowth (lack of good microbial balance) and see if any resonnate. If I look back at my own health history, I can see how I got to my SIBO and yeast overgrowth status. Antibiotics was a big one for me, and I had warning signs way before I had full blown SIBO and yeast symptoms. Here is a list of things, not all of them apply to me but I have seen these things impact chronic health issues. Prolonged use of chemical Birth Control, Disordered eating (carb-heavy meals, skipping meals, dieting), abuse of “natural” supplements (examples, excessive apple cider vinegar or coconut products), Antibiotic use, steroids, NSAIDS, PPIs, asprin, recreational drugs, excessive alchohol consumption, excessive SUGAR consumption (meaning, just daily!) prolonged vegetarian diets can sometimes create digestive imbalances in SOME bodies, excessive and prolonged stress, prolonged exposure to mold, immune over-reaction to vaccine series, gut infections, Standard American Diet, etc…

I think it is important to look at the totality of issues building up to a manifestation of symptoms because it can point to underlying issues and really inform treatment.

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